


The Wolves Came and Went and We're Still Standing

by jacksparrow589



Series: The js589 Shirbert Soundtrack [5]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Modern Era, Shirbert, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wedding Fluff, basically just all the good things, it's a Shirbert wedding y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24450973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jacksparrow589/pseuds/jacksparrow589
Summary: The lights had flickered throughout the afternoon, but finally, just as Gilbert got dinner on the table, they went out and didn't come back on.Gilbert let out a good-natured sigh. "At least I was planning on a candlelit dinner."Anne laughed and came to sit down. "I'm sure it'll be back on soon, but it does lend to the romance of the situation just a bit.""Let's see if you say that when you're freezing at 2AM," Gilbert replied glibly."Well, I'll just snuggle up to you," Anne told him, standing and stretching over the table to give him a soft kiss before settling back down.---------Gilbert makes good on his promise of "doing this at least sort of properly", and does it very properly, because of course he does. There's a proposal! There's a wedding! There's ALL THE FLUFF!
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Series: The js589 Shirbert Soundtrack [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1728880
Comments: 25
Kudos: 67





	The Wolves Came and Went and We're Still Standing

**Author's Note:**

> Song of the Story: Maren Morris' "The Bones" (ft. Hozier)
> 
> Set 7 months after the events of Nobody Loves Me Like You Do, Gilbert is fully healed and ready to make good on his and Anne's desire to marry.

The lights had flickered throughout the afternoon, but finally, just as Gilbert got dinner on the table, they went out and didn't come back on.

Gilbert let out a good-natured sigh. "At least I was planning on a candlelit dinner."

Anne laughed and came to sit down. "I'm sure it'll be back on soon, but it does lend to the romance of the situation just a bit."

"Let's see if you say that when you're freezing at 2AM," Gilbert replied glibly.

"Well, I'll just snuggle up to you," Anne told him, standing and stretching over the table to give him a soft kiss before settling back down. She took some salad from the bowl in the middle of the table, then handed her plate to Gilbert, watching as he artfully swirled some pasta onto it, ladled on the sauce he'd been simmering all afternoon, and sprinkled on some cheese before handing it back.

He wasn't favoring his shoulder as much, Anne noted. He was holding the plates with his uninjured arm, since the injured one was still painful if he tried to hold something in front of him for too long, but he had "graduated" from physical therapy the other week. Anne had taken him out for ice cream. He'd seemed a little distracted, but then, therapy definitely left him tired every time.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Gilbert wanted to know.

Anne took a bite of pasta. "Oh, Gil, this is _good._ "

"Good?" Gilbert tried to sound a little offended.

"It's excellent and you know it is." Anne rolled her eyes and Gilbert laughed.

"Yeah, well, I open some cans, chop a few things, toss them in a pot and add spices. Hard to go wrong, really," Gilbert said. He was giving Anne a caring look that told her he was going to get what she'd really been thinking about out of her later.

Anne sighed. "Okay, fine, I was just…" She shook her head. "I know your arm is fine, or that it'll get there with time, but…" she trailed off helplessly.

Gilbert stood and motioned her around the table with a gentle smile. "C'mere, you."

Anne did as she was bid and was folded in a warm embrace she returned with similar enthusiasm. She sighed contentedly as Gilbert spoke. "You know, the first time I was able to hug you properly after the sling and everything came off, it was… it was a really good day. I told my physical therapist that that was one of my main motivators: to be able to hold my—to be able to hold you like this. He'd end every session saying _Now go home and give that young lady of yours a big hug._ He'd always laugh, but in that way that said he meant it, you know?" Gilbert took a deep breath. "Anyway, after the last session, he said something… a little different. He said—" He took another deep breath. "— _go home and put a ring on her finger already._ And I was going to do this after dinner, but you, as always, have knack for surprising me." He started letting Anne go, but Anne clutched him tightly.

"Gil," she said through a voice already watery with happy tears, "For the love of God, do _not_ kneel. I am not sure my knees can support me right now."

Gilbert laughed and pulled her close again. "Anne, love, I never want you to stop surprising me, though I want to keep getting a few in here and there. I want to spend evenings like this with you, and wake up beside you in the mornings. I want to keep losing against you at Scrabble and winning against you at cards. I want to take walks in the fall leaves and the snow with you. I want to go on adventures, whether that's here in Halifax or home to Avonlea or some place we've never been. I want to keep doing all these things we've been doing, and to keep on discovering new dreams for our lives, and I want that to be with you as my wife. So, will you marry me?"

Anne nodded against his chest, tears streaming down her face. "Of course I will." She reached up to pull him down for a long kiss, smiling against his mouth.

Gilbert pulled back after a moment to fumble in the pocket of his jacket with one hand. He pulled out a small box, opening it carefully.

"Gil, this is your…" A fresh wave of tears hit Anne.

"Wait, how do you… my dad. Of course." Gilbert smiled just a little ruefully. "I'm surprised he didn't text you and spoil it as soon as he hung up with me when I told him I was planning on this." He shuffled Anne backward until she could sink back to her chair and he could go to one knee in front of it. With both hands free, he was able to remove his mother's ring from the box and slide it onto Anne's trembling hand. The delicate band with its lone emerald gleamed in the candlelight, and Anne took a moment to look at it before leaning back in for another long kiss.

When they finally pulled apart, Anne leaned her forehead against Gilbert's, the both of them just breathing and enjoying the moment until Gilbert's stomach decided to voice its opinion regarding the delay in dinner.

Both of them had to laugh. "So I guess we're calling our parents after we eat, then?" Anne wanted to know.

Gilbert nodded. "If I call my dad too soon, he'll wonder what went wrong."

"Unless I call him," Anne pointed out. "But still, I think… I think a little time to just let it sink in wouldn't be a bad thing." She gave Gilbert one more quick kiss, then shooed him off to his place.

* * *

Though they remained mostly quiet through dinner, their smiles spoke volumes, and by the time the lights came on, it was just in time to send the pictures John and Matthew and Marilla demanded after receiving calls from the children they'd be welcoming into their families.

That completed, Gilbert made the half-baked apple spice mug cakes that had quickly become a celebratory staple in their relationship and Anne scooped generous dollops of vanilla ice cream on top, and they settled in to watch the last few episodes of Derry Girls. As usual, Gilbert spent the time sympathizing with James, or ribbing Anne about how very like Erin she'd been during high school while Anne ignored the teasing in favor of being charmed by Orla. Both of them, at least, had found common ground in both loving and being terrified by Sister Michael.

They got ready for bed slowly after that, exchanging fond glances and holding hands or leaning against each other every chance they got. They had debated telling their friends, but other than Diana, who would murder Anne if she didn't know right away, and Bash, who would murder Gilbert if he didn't know right away (and who also sent a video taken by a laughing Mary of him performing a victory dance with Delphine in his arms), they decided to wait until the next day.

Even after they got into bed, they lay awake in each other's arms, basking in the glow of the moment, so long in coming and so hard-fought for at times. Anne hadn't been lying when she'd said she wouldn't have cared if they'd gone to the courthouse and gotten married the day after she'd said she was ready, but she couldn't picture a more perfect scenario than this one. She said as much to Gilbert, who murmured sleepily, "I told you I was going to do this properly," and kissed her forehead softly. Anne kissed his cheek and reiterated, "Any way you'd have done this would have been perfect. It's just that because you chose to do it this way, it's the most perfect."

" _You're_ the most perfect," Gilbert retorted lazily.

"That's _you,_ " Anne shot back. "I'm just a minor chaos deity, to hear Cole tell it."

Pulling her closer, Gilbert breathed into her hair. "Cole is right, but so am I."

"Well, you are an incorrigible flirt." Anne was going to say more, but Gilbert tilted her chin up and pressed his lips firmly to hers, and all she could do was sigh and enjoy the embrace.

When they were in need of air a few minutes later, Anne drew back and, looking at the clock, groaned. They had to work tomorrow, and all she wanted to do was spend the day blissfully with her fiancé.

Still, as she shut off the light and rolled back to face Gilbert, Anne couldn't help the swell of joy in her heart, and she wriggled closer, letting out yet another contented sigh when Gilbert gathered her to him once again.

"G'night, Gil," she whispered into his shoulder with a smile.

* * *

* * *

_**ten months later** _

The wedding day had finally arrived.

Even with a small wedding at Green Gables, there had still been so much to prepare and plan and oversee that even with the delegating they'd done, Anne and Gilbert barely had a moment together until shortly before it was time for them to get ready, and even that was only because Diana barricaded them in Anne's room (after making sure Anne's dress was out of sight) and stood guard outside, glaring at anyone who so much as happened to glance her way.

She was equally militant about ushering Gilbert away when the time came to get Anne ready, however, actively steering him out of the room by his shoulders as Anne laughed and Gilbert let himself be pushed while casting longing looks back at Anne and proclaiming he'd just climb up the tree outside her window. ("You will do no such thing, Gilbert Blythe!" Marilla had called up from the kitchen.)

Diana had just finished pinning Anne's flower crown into place a few hours later when Matthew and Marilla showed up to escort her down. Diana gave her a gentle hug. "You look amazing, Anne. I'll see you in just a minute."

Anne would never admit it to Diana (not that she'd have to), but from the moment she started to walk down the aisle, the only person she saw was Gilbert. She was only vaguely aware of the cues and instructions from Bash, who was officiating, and who at one point remarked on how the pair were focused rather exclusively on each other.

The ceremony was a short one, and ended with Bash's lovingly mocking pronouncement of "You may now do what you've been wanting to since Anne got up here."

It was difficult to tell who pulled who in first, but the end result was the same: a very enthusiastic kiss took place amid the cheers of friends and family, but Anne and Gilbert heard almost none of it, still so wrapped up in each other that they very nearly forgot they needed to walk back down the aisle instead of standing at the front with their foreheads resting against each other as they gazed tenderly into each other's eyes. 

The celebration that followed was every bit the warm, loving affair. The toasts particularly, would not be forgotten. Diana's speech was short and sincere, telling Gilbert he'd better take care of Anne, or he'd have the rest of the room to contend with.

John stepped up next. "I had an inkling that this was where we'd end up someday when Gilbert came home one day in high school with a butterfly closure on his forehead and acted like nothing in the world was wrong, but just talked a lot about the new girl with the red hair."

Anne was already laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face. She was collapsed against Gilbert, whose head was in his hands, a rueful grin on his face.

"I'd gotten to know Anne better by the time these two got their act together. When Gilbert called to say that they were dating, I said it was about time. Even though he laughed me off, I knew Anne was special to him, and I knew he was to her. We'd be sitting out in the barn, and Anne would be helping me with whatever project I was working on at the moment, and Gilbert would come out to see where she'd gotten to, and they'd just exchange these _looks,_ and I just _knew…_ And then she'd ask for a circular saw and Gilbert would roll his eyes like I was the problem, when the actual problem is that he never learned to understand the beauty of woodworking." He looked over at the pair, who were holding hands and waiting for him to continue with utterly blissful smiles in their faces.

"Through the last five years, our families have grown closer, and Anne has become a daughter to me. I am thrilled to see my son start this next phase of his life, and I am so excited and so very grateful to be able to truly count this lovely young woman as a part my family." He raised his glass. "To the happy couple."

The other partygoers echoed the toast, and Anne went over to embrace her father-in-law, joyful tears now falling down her cheeks. She laughed again as John presented her with a beautifully carved _a &g _and they both showed Gilbert, who just chuckled fondly and joined Anne in hugging his father.

* * *

Hours later, after cake and a little bit of dancing and a sendoff with flower petals, the newlyweds were safely tucked up in a hotel room for the night.

"Maybe I should have thought through the practicalities of a flower crown and petal-throwing a little more thoroughly; this is taking forever," Anne sighed as Gilbert pulled petals from her hair. She let out a contented moan of appreciation as Gilbert gently massaged her scalp with his fingertips for a moment. "Then again…"

"Thought so." Gilbert reached down with his free hand to take the one Anne offered over her shoulder, smiling as Anne turned to press a gentle kiss to it. "I think you ought to wear flower crowns more often, personally."

Anne laughed softly. "And gauzy dresses?"

"You said it; I am merely confirming that you are correct." Gilbert removed the last few petals, then started to gently comb Anne's hair out with his fingers.

"Only if you wear a suit every time," Anne decided.

"Fair enough," Gilbert agreed.

Anne tilted her head back to look up at him disbelievingly. When her husband(!) smiled down at her, she broke into a grin, and when he leaned down to kiss her, she stretched up to meet him as much as she could, sighing happily.

"I love you," she murmured as he pulled back.

"I love you," he replied just as quietly and just as sincerely.

They gazed into each other's eyes, the moment breaking only when Gilbert yawned.

Anne laughed. "My sentiments exactly," she replied before yawning, herself. They'd changed from their formal wear to pajamas nearly first thing after arriving "just to be in something comfortable", but it seemed that their wedding night was unlikely to be as exciting as they'd teased each other about making it earlier that week. That was fine; with a two week honeymoon ahead of them, spending the night simply cuddling sounded like a wonderful start, anyway.

Anne clambered ungracefully to the top of the bed and then under the covers, while Gilbert shuffled around the other side of the bed and climbed in, pulling Anne to him once he was situated.

"We're really married..." Anne murmured. She thought for a moment. "It doesn't really feel any different."

"Good. Well, I hope it feels a little different, actually." Gilbert paused to yawn again. "I'm not sure I know how to explain it. A little more… secure, maybe?"

Anne made a sleepy noise of agreement. "It just feels like… there's just that much more love, I guess."

"Yeah, that's definitely the better way to put it," agreed Gilbert. He let out a sleepy sigh, turned out the light, and gave Anne a gentle kiss, whispering "Good night, love," against her lips.

"Good night," Anne murmured back. "I love you."

Hearts fuller than they'd ever thought possible, Anne and Gilbert drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, writing something nice and happy like this was really nice after finally getting through We All Need Someone to Hold (Gilbert's POV of Burning Like a Fire Gone Wild).
> 
> Props to Rozmund for the circular saw story in John's wedding speech. She wanted that kind of anecdote where Anne and John get crafty with the woodwork and Gilbert is amused and a bit terrified.
> 
> If you're wondering what Anne's dress looks like, though I didn't describe it, Rozmund and I had a fantastic discussion that involved a lot of all-caps keyboard shouting on my end, but the end result is that it's azazie's Eudora dress.
> 
> And then we got onto the subject of hair arrangements and such, and, well…  
> Rozmund: If Anne doesn't have a flower crown what even is the wedding  
> jack: IT ISN'T, ROZMUND  
> jack: Sorry. I have feelings about this.  
> This is what happens when you find me on Tumblr, folks.
> 
> Of course, I won't say no to comments here, too! If you are so inclined, drop me a line or 5! And thank you for reading! :)


End file.
